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Reports and Publications - Draft Metadata Standard |
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Metadata at the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program This document describes draft revisions to current procedures for documenting data at the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program. The document includes comments on goals and implementation, suggested changes to the FGDC standard needed to produce a paleo data profile, and includes some examples of paleo data documentation. In general, this document follows procedures already being used by NOAA Paleo, adds a few additional metadata items, and seeks to make the data more consistent with the FGDC guidelines. Metadata standards are a relatively new thing, and are evolving. The FGDC guidelines are relatively recent (v. 2.0, 1998), and other guidelines are still evolving (for example ISO standards and Z39.50), however the evolution of metadata standards appears stable enough that this is a good time to implement the current FGDC standard. I. Introduction Goal: To provide sufficient information with each NOAA Paleoclimatology Program data set so that the data set can be understood and used (or selected as a candidate for use) by scientists who are knowledgeable but not specialists in paleoclimatology. Objectives: # Support the goals outlined by the FGDC and NSDI, and NOAA. Implementation Implementation is very similar to existing procedures- basically this document makes a few additions and changes to metadata already collected for each data set, and suggests a more consistent way of providing the metadata. Processing Incoming Data Incoming data are commonly received as email attachments, via FTP and diskette. In most cases, incoming data are a new data set, although in some cases the data are a change or addition to an existing data set. The data manager uses a database form to complete the metadata for the data received, working with the contributor or other experts (e.g. Dave for marine geologic data) as needed. The form automatically completes many fields, and provides valid entry selections for fields that are not free text. A formatted report is produced (a form letter), containing the metadata, and the report is returned to the contributor so that he can review the metadata. Often, PI's do not respond, in which case we approve the data as correct after an appropriate interval (two weeks). Providing Data An ASCII readme file is produced (as a database report) at the time the metadata are approved by the PI, and the readme file is placed in the FTP archive together with the data files as they were received. In many cases, the data are ingested into a database, and ASCII tables are produced as reports, and used to populate a second FTP space that consists of the readme files, and the ASCII formatted data files. In most cases these files will be more uniform, and better described, compared to the incoming data. The metadata, and the data files stored in the RDBMS are thus accessible via webmapper and other web-based searches. Whether ingested into a database or not, the original files are modified so that they are stored in an appropriate, relatively consistent, archival format (e.g. ASCII data), and are fully described by the metadata and column headers, and other needed information. In some cases these flat files will utilize formats and contents, sanctioned by the community, for example a ITRDB flat ASCII format, and in other cases the formats will be specified by NOAA Paleo. In some cases specific files not contributed by the user may be created either by the database, or by the data manager (for example a table of chronostratigraphic information, or a table of 15-taxa percentage data), and placed in this second FTP space. Formats for the metadata This document includes two examples, a skinny data description, and a complete data description. These might commonly be distributed with a data set obtained from the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program. It is important to note that these are just examples of the way the metadata could be displayed. FGDC specifies the content, not the form in which data are presented. Many other ways are possible, including the NASA GCMD styles and the NOAA DIF style. II. Paleoenvironmental Data Profile (This section follows the format of a draft FGDC Data Profile and will be completed later.) Introduction Objectives Scope Applicability Changes to the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata Conditionality Changes Domain Changes Extended Elements III. Complete Paleoenvironmental Data Profile The following elements comprise the metadata for a data set. The items are either mandatory (red), mandatory if applicable, optional, choice (optionality). Note that some fields can be repeated, for example there can be more than one originator. Many elements will be the same for all data sets. Section 1. Identification Information 1.1 Citation 1.1.8 Citation_information 1.1.8.4 Name: Title Type: text Domain: free text Short name: title Authorship: PI Optionality: mandatory 1.1.8.1 Name: originator Short_Name: origin Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: mandatory Notes: This is the Principal investigator that contributed the data. This element can be repeated. 1.1.8.2 Name: publication date Short_Name: pubdate Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "unknown", "unpublished material", free text Optionality: mandatory 1.1.8.7 Name: Series_name Short_Name: sername Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "World Data Center for Paleoclimatology Data" Contribution Series" Optionality: optional 1.1.8.7.2 Name: Issue_identification Short_Name: Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: This is the paleo contribution number 1.1.8.10 Name: Online linkage Short_Name: onlink Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: This is the complete URL for the data at NOAA paleo 1.2 Description 1.2.1 Name: abstract Short_Name: abstract Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: Can be from publication, or specific to data contribution. 1.2.3 Name: Supplemental Information Short_Name: supplinf Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: This is a one or two line synopsis that describes the data. For example, "Foram counts from Core RC2723 in the Arabian Sea" 1.3.9.3.1 Name: Beginning_date Short_Name: begdate Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Unknown", free date Optionality: optional Notes: Paleo dates require a special FGDC-approved coding. 1.3.9.3.3 Name: Ending_date Short_Name: enddate Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "unknown", free date Optionality: optional Notes: Paleo dates require a special FGDC-approved coding. 1.4 Status 1.4.1 Name: Progress Short_Name: progress Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Complete", "In Work', "Planned" Optionality: optional 1.4.2 Name: Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency Short_Name: update Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "None Planned", "As Needed" Optionality: optional 1.5 Spatial Domain 1.5.1.1 Name: West bounding coordinate Short_Name: westbc Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: -180.0<=west bounding coordinate>=180.0 Optionality: mandatory Note: For point date, westbc=eastbc, and northbc=southbc 1.5.1.2 Name: East Bounding Coordinate Short_Name: eastbc Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: -180.0<=east bounding coordinate>=180.0 Optionality: mandatory 1.5.1.3 Name: North Bounding Coordinate Short_Name: northbc Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: -90.0<=west bounding coordinate>=90.0 Optionality: mandatory 1.5.1.4 Name: South Bounding Coordinate Short_Name: southbc Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: -90.0<=west bounding coordinate>=90.0 Optionality: mandatory 1.6 Keywords 1.6.1.1 Name: Theme_keyword Short_Name: themekt Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, also see FGDC valids Optionality: optional Notes: This field can be used more than once. Under theme, we will put category (borehole), variable (temperature), and campaign (NSF, PAGES, IMAGES). Keywords follow a hierarchical format outlined by the FGDC. 1.6.4.1 Name: Temporal keyword Short_Name: tempkt Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: see FGDC valids Optionality: optional 1.8 Use Constraints Name: Use_Contraints Short_Name: useconst Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Please Cite Contributors When Using this Data", free text Optionality: mandatory 1.10 Browse_Graphic Name: Browse_Graphic_File_Name Short_Name: browsen Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 1.10.1 Name: Browse_Graphic_File_Type Short_Name: browset Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 1.11 Data_Set_Credit Name: Data_Set_Credit Short_Name: datacred Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: Journal references go here as free text paragraphs. Alternately, individual fields for author, title, journal, year, could be used (from citation section). 2. Data Quality 2.4 Positional Accuracy 2.4.1.2.1 Name: Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value Short_Name: horizpav Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: free real (meters) Optionality: optional 2.4.2.2.1 Name: Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value Short_Name: vertaccv Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: free real (meters) Optionality: optional 3. Spatial Data Organization 3 Spatial_Reference_Information 3.2 Name: Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method Short_Name: direct Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Point", "Vector", "Raster" Optionality: optional 3.3.1.2 Name: Point_and_Vector_Object_Count Short_Name: Authorship: paleo Type: integer Domain: Point and Vector Object Count > 0 Optionality: optional Notes: Use to describe how may sites in this data set. 4. Spatial Reference Information 4 Spatial_Reference_Information 4.1.1.1 Name: Latitude_Resolution Short_Name: latres Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: latres > 0 Optionality: optional 4.1.1.2 Name: Longitude_Resolution Short_Name: lonres Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: lonres > 0 Optionality: optional 4.1.1.3 Name: Geographic_Coordinate_Units Short_Name: geogunit Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "decimal degrees" (see also FGDC) Optionality: optional 4.2.1.1 Name: Altitude_Datum_Name Short_Name: altdatum Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 4.2.1.2 Name: Altitude_Resolution Short_Name: altres Authorship: PI Type: real Domain: altres > 0.0 Optionality: optional 4.2.1.3 Name:Altitude_Distance_Units Short_Name: altunits Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "meters", "feet", free text Optionality: optional 4.2.2.1 Name: Depth_Datum_Name Short_Name: depthdn Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: (see FGDC list) Optionality: optional 4.2.2.2 Name: Depth_Resolution Short_Name: depthres Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: dpethres > 0.0 Optionality: optional 4.2.2.3 Name: Depth_Distance_Units Short_Name: depthdu Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "meters", "feet", free text Optionality: optional 5. Entity and Attribute Information 5 Attribute 5.1.2.1 Name: Attribute_label Short_Name: attrlabl Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: This is the name of the variable (e.g., ring width) 5.1.2.2 Name: Attribute_Definition Short_Name: attrdef Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: This is the description of the variable. 5.1.2.3 Name: Attribute_Definition_Source Short_Name: attrdefs Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional Notes: Free text references or citations for how the variable was measured 5.1.2.5 Name: Attribute_Units_of_Measure Short_Name: attrunit Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 5.1.2.6 Name: Attribute_Measurement_Resolution Short_Name: attrunit Authorship: PI Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 6. Distribution 6.1 Distributor 6.1.10 Contact Information 6.1.10.1.1 Name: Contact_Person Short_Name: cntper Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "Bruce Bauer" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.1.2 Name: Contact_Organization Short_Name: cntorg Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "NOAA Paleoclimatology Program" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.2 Name: Address Short_Name: address Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "325 Broadway, Code E/GC" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.3 Name: City Short_Name: city Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "Boulder" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.4 Name: State Short_Name: state Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "CO" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.5 Name: Postal_Code Short_Name: postal Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.6 Name: Country Short_Name: country Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "USA" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.4.5 Name: Contact_Voice_Telephone Short_Name: cntvoice Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "303-497-6610 Optionality: optional 6.1.10.6 Name: Contact_Fascimile_Telephone Short_Name: cntfax Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "303-497-6513" Optionality: optional 6.1.10.8 Name: Contact_Electronic_Email_Address Short_Name: cntemail Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "paleo@noaa.gov" Optionality: optional 6.4 Standard_Order_Process 6.4.1 Name: Non_Digital_Form Short_Name: nondig Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Contact the Center to Order Non-digital Data" Optionality: optional 6.4.2.1.1 Name: Format_Name Short_Name: formname Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "ASCII", or other FGDC valids Optionality: optional 6.4.2.1.7 Name: Transfer_Size Short_Name: transize Authorship: paleo Type: real Domain: transize > 0 Optionality: optional Notes: Rough approximation is ok (e.g. nearest MB, 1.0 for most) 6.4.2.2.1.1.1.1 Name: Network_Resource_Name Short_Name: networkr Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free text, "http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo" Optionality: optional 6.4.2.2.1.2 Name: Access_Intstructions Short_Name: accinstr Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Data can be obtained from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/ and via anonymous ftp to ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov. Diskette and paper copies may be obtained by mail." Optionality: optional 6.4.3 Name: Fees Short_Name: fees Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "Online data are available free of charge, other forms are available for the cost of reproduction" Optionality: optional 7. Metadata Reference Information 7.1 Name: Metadata_Date Short_Name: metd Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: free date Optionality: optional 7.5 Name: Metadata_Standard_Name Short_Name: metstdn Authorship: paleo Type: text Domain: "FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata" Optionality: optional 7.6 Name: Metadata_Standard_Version Short_Name: metstdv Authorship: Type: text Domain: free text, "2.0" Optionality: optional |
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17 January 2001
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